With the Love They Have
by passphrase
Summary: Crossover w/ Dark Angel. AU. Written w/in Cheryl W's It's in the Genes 'verse. Sam and Dean and Alec thought it was a typical hunt. Come in, find the baddie, bag 'em and leave. And it was typical, except for the part where Dean goes missing.
1. Chapter 1

Before everything, I'd like to thank Cheryl W for allowing me to play in her universe! Because honestly? Her Alec just rocks! \m/ With that, any mistakes, grammatical or otherwise, is mine. This story isn't any way related to hers (though it is a part of her universe), I'm just playing around.:D I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing this part!

For people who haven't read _It's in the Genes_, this story could be understood without reading that (although the relationships would make more sense if you do), but why miss reading that amazing piece of fiction? It's bound to be better than this one anyway!

To Cheryl W, again, thank you!

* * *

**Chapter 1  
**

It was supposed to be an easy hunt.

Step 1: Research

Step 2: Ask locals to verify research and uncover other things that might not have come up in said research

Step 3: Scout the area where SOB resides (this time, a witch killing off people who had the same features, no matter how small, as her - Sam had gripped about the anomalies, but Dean brushed it off as Sam being obsessive)

Step 4: Plan

Step 5: Prepare the guns, the herbs and candles and whatever else needed for said plan

Step 6: Go over plan again

Step 7: And again, per request of Sam

Step 8: Kill SOB

They never really get to step 8.

Because in the morning, Dean wasn't in the motel anymore.

* * *

When Dean woke up, he couldn't see a thing.

He was lying on a cold, hard surface, and it was dark and dank and certainly didn't feel like the motel room he and his brothers were staying in. Gingerly, he picked himself up from the floor. He stood awkwardly for a few seconds, stretching out the kinks in his protesting muscles, then he squinted in the dark and tried to find out where the hell he is.

Hesitantly, he called out, "Sammy? Alec?" When he heard no reply he began to fumble around in the dark, walking slowly, hoping he wouldn't trip on something. As he reached a wall, he felt around it, looking for a door, for a way out of this place. For a while, he feared that he had been dropped in here instead, that he wouldn't find a door, just four corners and all walls in between. So when he touched an object protruding from the wall, he grinned. Then he traced that, feeling bumps as he went along. Hinges, he realized. And hinges meant, "A door. Thank god." Grappling forward, he felt for the door knob and when he found it tried to pry it open. It was locked, naturally, but a guy can try, right?

He fought the urge to bang the door and alert his captors, knowing that he had to collect himself before facing whoever it was that took him. At the very least, he reasoned, his brothers weren't there with him. At least, they were all right. They'd wake up soon and they'd get him out of this place.

Suddenly, he heard a key being inserted in the lock and before he could think of a way to subdue whoever that was, the door was wrenched open, drowning the room with bright light. Dean's eyes, immersed in complete darkness, couldn't take the sudden light. So he closed his eyes shut and groaned. Once he felt it was safe to open them again, he did, slowly, and found himself in a room bare of anything except for a single overhanging light that had been turned on. Then below that light, their witch.

* * *

The morning found Sam and Alec frantically trying to search for their brother.

"You think the witch took him?" Alec asked as he packed their meager belongings to their duffel bags.

Sam was doing the same when he answered, "It's the only one left. We've checked everywhere already. And," he said, looking worriedly at the Impala parked outside, "He wouldn't leave without his baby."

Alec laughed shortly. Yeah, Dean and his Impala. Inseparable to a fault. That was the reason why they knew something was wrong.

"But he doesn't look anything like the witch, Sam. She couldn't have taken him."

Sam shook his head, ready to argue when he stopped, then looked at Alec and said, "Maybe you should stay here."

Surprised that Sam would even suggest he stay behind, Alec quickly turned on Sam and yelled, "What?! She took Dean, Sam! I can't not go!"

But Sam shook his head, eyes furious, angry, "That's why, Alec! She took Dean! Dean, your DNA donor! Have you forgotten that you look like him?! So forgive me if I'm worrying but I don't want to lose you, too! If she took the both of you, where does that leave me? I can't, Alec. I can't."

Alec let out a breath, then he slumped in defeat as he sat down on his bed. "Sorry," he said, "But I can't lose you too, Sam."

Sam stopped his packing, then he bit his lip and said, "I know. I'm sorry, too." His eyes locked on Alec's, he smiled shakily, "Maybe we should calm down first, huh? Think things through before we barge in there with guns blazing."

"Yeah," Alec replied, laughing at how everything went down so fast, how the infamous Winchester luck had struck again, "Good idea."

* * *

Minutes, hours, days, weeks. He didn't know how long he'd been stuck in the same room with this witch. It's not as if he hadn't tried to get out. She wouldn't even lock the door but somehow, he couldn't make himself move. He's been lucky so far, however. He hasn't been cursed, has all his body parts intact and no spewing of bodily fluids had occurred. She even offered him food for breakfast, then lunch, even dinner. No matter how hungry he was though, he wouldn't make himself eat it. Who knew what was in there? She's been leaving him alone for most of the day, going back to check on him every hour or so. Other times, when he'd asked about his brothers, she would laugh and say they've been taken care of. The first time she said that, Dean's blood ran cold. After giving it some thought, it wasn't possible. She's been with him since he woke up. And judging by the noises outside the room whenever she opened the door, he was trapped somewhere in her house. Her small bungalow of a house. There simply was no room. Unless she's got an underground lair that he didn't know of.

And then after offering him dinner, she started talking to him, about little things, normal conversational things, like they were having a friggin' tea time. Pissed and frustrated at himself, he couldn't help the biting and, most of the time, childish remarks that would come out of his mouth. She hadn't minded at first, just continued as if Dean hadn't said a thing. And then, after hours and hours of talking and after hours and hours of Dean bitching to her, she stopped, stared at him and said, "You seem to relish acting like a child, boy."

Dean's brows raised but he kept his mouth shut. From their conversation, albeit one sided, Dean knew this witch was nine kinds of crazy, even more than the others. The way she killed, it had seemed there was a pattern, but Sam, again, had been right. The anomalies did count. Sure, she killed people who looked even a little like her the most, but she also killed on whim, hence the anomalies in their research. She was just that, crazy. And putting it plainly, that was terrifying. Witches were crazies to being with. This witch was crazy on top of crazy! Dean can deal with normal witch crazy, they were still human after all, still had the same desires, the same needs; they were easy to read. Witches like this, witches whose normal had been so fucked up that they've gone mental in their own minds... they were different. Like psychopath killers, they had no pattern, no way for Dean to base his assumptions on. So when she said she had 'taken care of' his brothers, he couldn't tell if she was lying or not.

Said witch tutted, circling him, a small amused smile glinting on her face. "Do you wish to be child?"

He frowned, a little weirded out, a little unsure how to answer. She doesn't wait for one, though, just slinked in and out of the overhanging light, eyes sinister, staring at Dean standing rigidly, tense with apprehension for his brothers.

Then she stopped. And asked again, "Do you wish to become a child again, boy? Do you wish to relive that phase you've lost?"

He doesn't know if he should humor her with an answer or remain silent so instead he asked, "What did you do to my brothers?"

Her eyes crinkled merrily at him, then she giggled and said, "Who knows? They might be frolicking happily in the sun without you and forgot about you completely. You should just stay with me, boy. Just stay with me."

Dean did not like the look in her eyes. This was not supposed to be happening to him. Sammy, he could believe, yeah. Every supernatural chick would fall head over heels over the guy. But Dean? Never. He so did not want to start now. Chuckling, he began to scan the room again, desperately looking for a way out, "Look, lady. I'm single by choice. So no offense, but I'm not staying with you. Like, ever."

She laughed, all out now, as if what he said was the funniest thing she's ever heard. "Silly boy. That's not what I meant."

Dean frowned and chose not to say anything. He didn't think he'd like the answer. So he asked again, "Where are my brothers?"

"Why do you care so much about them? You don't even trust them with you car. Surely, they aren't that important to you?"

Surprised, he raised a brow then, "How the hell would you know about that?"

She looked at him as if the question was absurd then said, "Remember, this is my town, boy. How you thought you could kill me here was beyond me, with your supposed knowledge about the supernatural." Then she stopped pacing, stared at him with madness in her eyes and said, "But you can stay with me, Dean. You didn't have a chance to be a child, did you? But you wanted to, desperately. You still want to. I can feel it. Deep within you there's a wish to experience that innocence that was taken away from you. And I," she said, looking strangely _human_ as longing swept across her face, "I wanted to have a child. They let me have one. And I held him in my arms when he was born and he was the most beautiful thing ever," then suddenly it was gone, replaced by that madness again, anger in her voice as she yelled, "But they took him away! They took him away even before I could give him a name, even before the child could see his own mother! They took him away and they never let me see him again! And it hurt, and I hated myself, hated how I had been so weak to allow them to take my child, hated myself so much that I wanted to die."

Dean didn't say anything. He knew how that felt, after all.

"They didn't let me either," she continued, softly now, that human sadness back again, "They didn't let me die. They wouldn't let me. Every time I tried, they brought me back. Every time I found a curse to undo what I've done to myself, they would stop me. Do you know how that feels, boy? To continue this pathetic life when everything you loved had been taken away from you?"

He felt himself begin to nod but stopped himself. He was sympathizing with a witch! What's next? Be drinking buddies with a werewolf?

Then suddenly, everything clicked into place. The anomalies were probably because those poor bastards angered her enough that she killed them. And killing those that looked like her? It was because she wanted to die herself, but couldn't, so she killed the next best thing. Witches were still people, no matter how powerful they become. The unable to die part though, Dean wasn't sure about that. She was human, right?

"Lady," he began, willing himself for the nth time to move so he can get the hell out of this place, "If you want to kill yourself, go ahead, be my guest. But I don't want to join the party, okay? And leave other people out of it, too for that matter. None of them deserved what you did to them. They had a life, they could have had families, they could have had children! I'm sure you hate whoever did that to you, and what you're doing? Exactly like them," he waited for an outburst from her, but it never came. She was looking blankly at him though. Dean hoped she fell asleep or something. Maybe it would release whatever spell she placed on him? Ha! He wishes. "So please, okay? Let me go. Let my brothers go and just stop."

"No."

Well, it was worth a try. Sammy had always yammered that they could talk to these bitches, make them see reason. So much good that did. So not listening to Sam next time.

"Come on, lady. I don't look like you. My brothers don't look like you--,"

"It is enough," she suddenly said, that blank look gone from her face.

Dean didn't know what 'enough' meant. He didn't have features that looked like a girl's right? Right? However, some chicks would, sometimes, tell him he's too pretty for them. And sometimes, sometimes they tell him his eyes are much more gorgeous than any man or woman they've ever met. He's usually put that to good use but never really put much thought into that, till now.

Well, shit. He couldn't actually gouge his eyes out now, can he?

"Lady, whatever you saw, it's not what you think." Dean almost laughed, 'it's not what you think' never actually worked before. Then he froze, remembered Alec. Because if she saw something in him and saw that it was enough and she saw Alec... then, holy shit. But, hasn't she already seen Alec? Because it's 'her town', she said. Then if Dean was enough, how come she didn't take Alec too?

And then, all of a sudden, extreme pain. Surprised, he gasped as he bit out a yell. He dropped on one knee, one arm clutching at his chest, the other on the floor preventing himself from hitting the ground. He raised his head painfully to look at her, saw her staring at him, mouthing words in a language he didn't recognize. Pain flared once more, this time encompassing his entire body. Heat was coming from within him then from outside, heat burning him, making him sweat, making him pant for a breath he couldn't catch. It felt like he was melting. Pain rose once more and he shut his eyes and bit his lips tight, trying to stifle the yells that were threatening to come out. He coughed, choked on the sharp breaths as he tried to breathe. He found himself panting more and more, tears beginning to leak out as the pain increased.

With the pain, there was extreme heat. Heat so intense it felt like his entire body was burning. His arm gave out and he dropped to the floor. Immediately, he curled into himself, trying to keep the pain at bay. He tried to breathe through the pain, tried to take his mind away from it, tried to calm himself down enough to think of a way out. But he couldn't. When the heat and pain increased, his world began to spin. It was too much, it was all too much.

Unable to stop himself, he yelled, then let himself go.

* * *

With unparalleled determination, between the two of them and Bobby, they managed to dig up every information possible on their witch. They should've known it wasn't that simple from the beginning. Because the witch wasn't even a witch, she was a hundred plus plus old lady who once was a part of a hundred plus plus plus year old cult that was hell bent on building paradise on earth by eradicating impure humans, meaning, everyone but them. Why the cult was dormant was anyone's guess but apparently their witch fell off the face of the earth about a hundred years ago and had been thought dead. Until now.

"How do we kill a hundred plus plus year old witch?" Alec asked, incredulous. "I thought witches are human beings, too? How had she lived for so long?"

Sam, of course, didn't have an answer. They certainly haven't faced anyone like this before. But Bobby did. Found, again, in his eclectic collection of books of the occult. So now they have a ritual, gotten in less than a day since they called Bobby. Alec would've been amazed at their efficiency. His mind, however, was too occupied at the moment. So instead, he prepared the things they needed, using abilities only transgenics had, and they suddenly found themselves ready to go.

"You ready?"

Alec looked determinedly at Sam, then tersely nodded.

They were gonna get their brother back. It didn't matter if there was a hundred plus plus year old witch to stop them. This is a fact. They are gonna get their brother back.

* * *

She knew she made a good choice.

There were many who were better than this one, but there was something about the way he saw himself, something about his selfishness that underlain something more, something deeper that held root in his beliefs. She hasn't seen anyone quite as conflicted as this one. There were so many contradictions in the young man that interested her enough to take a chance.

She hadn't been disappointed.

All throughout the day, she watched him, watched how he paced around the room, thinking about his brothers. There was something special with their bond, something more than the usual. And frankly, it intrigued her and she wondered if she could have that bond as well. So she took him, because he seemed like the one who started threading the three of them together.

She took him because though he was content with spending the rest of his life with his brothers, deep within him, there was a deep-seated wish to turn back, to have the kind of childhood others take for granted. Though the wish was small and hidden so deep that it was almost inconsequential, it was enough. So she took the chance, and she took him.

His brothers were as interesting, though. She could feel it, their grim determination to find this young one with her. She knew she couldn't hinder the other two's plan to retrieve him, knew that she couldn't stop them from gaining all the information they need to kill someone like her. She still hoped, though that they couldn't, that she'd be able to get a family she longed for a long time.

It wasn't meant to be, however.

As she saw him fall under unconsciousness, she felt it. Two presences in her home. And they were doing something to her and she knew, knew that her time was up.

She stared longingly at the limp form of the elder brother, hidden beneath layers upon layers of clothes. She frowned, feeling another presence somewhere in her home. This was familiar however, someone she didn't want anything to do with, someone she vowed to kill if they so much as stepped within her boundaries. She couldn't do that now, however. They probably sent someone because they felt her essence dying, wondered if they can bring her back again.

And that was one thing she should be grateful of. Because no matter what they would do short of selling their souls to the devil, they wouldn't be able to. For a while, she let the curse do its work, ready for that single burst of light that would signify her death. But that other presence, she could still do something about that, still could exact revenge on the people who made her do this to herself.

Apologizing to deaf ears, she knelt in front the boy then whispered her final spell.

Before it's over, the door banged open and in came his two brothers, guns raised, ready to shoot to kill. As they took in the situation, she looked behind them, looked straight at that shadow watching her silently. Finishing the spell, she raised her head high, smiled triumphantly and said, "You will regret the day you took what should have only been mine. You would do well to remember this day, as this is the beginning of the end." She kept her gaze to that shadow, was satisfied when she felt fear from it. And then, before vanishing, she swept her gaze back to his brothers, saw the fierce protectiveness in their eyes, eyes that promised pain upon those that have hurt what is theirs.

She smiled at them, sadly, apologetically. In these last moments, there wasn't anything she could do to take what she took back. But she knew, if there was anyone in the world capable of braving what she knew was about to come, it would be these boys and the love they have for each other.

* * *

In a flash of bright light, Sam and Alec felt the witch burst into non-existence.

For a moment, they stood still, assessing the situation, trying to gauge if a threat was still present. Finding none, they spared a glance at each other, each conversing at what had transpired mere seconds ago.

The witch looked like she was apologizing to them. But for what?

"Did you get what she said when we came in? Something about regretting what's hers?" Alec asked, trying to make sense of what just happened.

Sam shook his head and shrugged, "Well, whatever that means, she's gone now. Let's get Dean and get the hell out of this place."

"Agreed," nodded Alec, eyes skimming over the room, looking for their missing brother.

Sam did the same, stopping near Dean's pile of clothes where the witch was kneeling over a moment ago. He frowned at it, hoping that his brother isn't tied up somewhere bleeding his guts out. "You think he's here?"

Alec turned to him and, with worry lining his features, answered, "He should be. Sam, I smell him all over the place. There's no where else he could be." Crossing the room to stand beside his brother, he frowned and said, "Maybe there's a hidden room somewhere?"

Sam nodded, felt dread beginning to bleed into his body. They were so sure Dean was here. He stepped forward, away from Dean's pile of clothes, unable to look at it because it meant his failure. Moving towards the walls to feel for a bump, for a hidden doorway to, hopefully, where Dean was, he stopped when he heard Alec mutter an, "Oh my god, Sam."

Slowly, fearing the worst, he turned back towards his brother, found him kneeling over the discarded clothes. In quick strides Sam was behind Alec, Alec who was on both knees now, cradling the clothes in his arms. Whatever it was that Sam was expecting, it wasn't this. Because in Alec's arms, hidden and dwarfed in the clothes Dean had worn, was a child.

"It's not possible. These things, they happen in fairy tales, in urban legends and campfire stories! Sam, come on! You can't honestly believe that that's--,"

Sam didn't know what to say to that. In all the strange things they've encountered, and all the curses and spells and rituals they've witnessed and were victims of, this one seriously beats the rest.

"Sam," Alec said, whispering, "This can't be real! I mean, sure, maybe the witch was that powerful. But come on!"

Looking down at the sleeping boy in Alec's arms, Sam shrugged, "He looks like Dean when he was that age. He has his clothes, too."

"Yeah, Sam," Alec bit, teeth clenched in frustration, in worry, "I can see that. Kid looked like he friggin' shrunk in the clothes!" Cursing, Alec stared at the kid in his arms. Then he sighed and said, "Can we go now?"

Sam nodded, saw Alec tighten his hold around the child, then carefully stood up. The kid never stirred. Sam frowned, worried, but for a different reason this time. He stepped beside his younger brother, brushed his fingers on the child's forehead then sifted through the smooth strands of golden hair. He sighed, "His hair was blond before, then it darkened like it is, or was, now."

Gently stepping outside the house, Alec squinted up at Sam in the sunlight. Two days. It had almost been two days since they lost Dean and now... "We'll take care of him," he said, final, resolute.

Sam started at the firm determination lacing Alec's voice, not really surprised at how fast he, _they've_ become protective of the young boy sleeping in Alec's arms. For the first time since Dean went missing, Sam smiled then laughed. "He won't want it, but he can just try to stop us."

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

AN: This story is based on Cheryl W's _It's in the Genes. _It's an amazing story so do read it!

Disclaimer: Supernatural is not mine.

**Chapter 2**

There wasn't much they could do, Sam thought as he drove away to find another motel. They were tired, long hours of sleepless nights worrying about their missing brother finally taking its toll. On the rear view mirror, he saw Alec, hands brushing unconsciously at the silky smooth hair of the child whose head rested on his lap. Alec was staring outside, staring at the roads and trees and sky as they blurred past them.

He felt he should be researching, to find out how to reverse the curse the witch placed on his brother. But there wasn't much they could do, she was gone and there wasn't really much in the house except normal household materials, plus minus strange herbs and lots and lots of salt.

Pulling over when he saw a vacancy sign of another motel (the manager on the other one threatened to call the police when other patrons complained of the strange conversations he and Alec had been having), he stopped as he parked the car. He sighed, ran his hands over his face, then twisted to look at the occupants at the back. He glanced at Alec, then at the child still sleeping there.

He frowned, "Is he okay?"

Alec shook his head, "He hasn't stirred once, but physically, there's nothing wrong. I checked, no broken bones, no wounds, nothing. It's either he's just sleeping or that witch did something to him on top of, of _this_." Alec gestured, implying the current state their brother was in. Yeah, Sam got that clearly.

"What do we do now?"

It was at these times that Sam looked at his brother for guidance. Dean always knew what to do, always had a plan ready when Sam had thought they've failed. Dean always said he was the belligerent one, and he was, he never quit, never backed down, always found a way to step back on up. And though Sam knew that he can be quite as stubborn, the things that've recently happened seriously shook him. He was bone tired, felt he's spent all his energies trying to find his brother. So he looked at Alec helplessly and said, "Uh, sleep, maybe? And then, then we'll call Bobby, tell him what happened, maybe search around the house some more, or go back to the library and check if we've missed any-,"

"Sam," Alec interrupted, "I meant, what are we going to do _now_? What do we do with Dean? How do we take care of him?" With a small smile on his face, Alec continued, "Because I've no doubt we can fix this, Sam. With your brains and my unparalleled, albeit genetically enhanced, genius there's no reason we can't fix this. We will. It's just, now. How do we deal with now? I dunno about you, but I've no clue how to deal with little kids."

Sometimes, Sam forgot that Alec was Dean, too. That no matter how different they were, Alec still bore the same strength of character. He smiled, calmed down by Alec's assurance. He took a deep breath, then said, "How about sleep?"

Alec laughed, "Sleep sounds good to me."

xxxxxxxx

They had a hard time bringing the kid to their room. For one, they looked suspicious. Two young men renting a room in a motel, with a small child. The clerk behind the desk kept on shooting them disapproving glances whenever she could because, "Children shouldn't be taken to places like this! Find yourself a job or get this child somewhere with a loving atmosphere!" Sam wondered how Dad faced do-gooders like these.

The second reason was because the kid had suddenly woken up. One moment Sam was trying to open the door with the kid in his arms, the next, the kid was screaming his lungs out directly in Sam's ear. Alec, who was by the car bringing out their things, dropped all the duffles he was carrying, then ran towards Sam, panic written all over his face. He stopped, eyes widening as the kid yelled and punched and kicked and cursed everything and anything that touched him. If it weren't for Sam's ginormous and hence, powerful arms, he would've dropped the kid in his surprise.

Tightening his hold around the kid's tiny body, Sam attempted to calm the kid down. In a soothing voice, he said, "Hey, hey, it's all right, everything's all right. You're not there anymore, okay? The witch is dead, we killed her, she's gone. You're here, you're here with us and we won't hurt you, we swear we won't hurt you. You're safe here, you're safe here with me and Alec."

Slowly, the kid quieted. Sam looked at Alec, then motioned for him to open the door. The kid gasped when he felt Sam move, but he didn't say anything. Hearing the soft click of the door as it closed, Sam bent to gently lay the kid on the bed. However, tiny arms suddenly wrapped themselves around his neck, small legs encircled his waist so he couldn't let the kid go. Sighing, he sat on the bed himself and then, in a soft voice asked, "Dean? You okay?"

Sam didn't know what he'd do if the kid said he wasn't Dean, if he doesn't know anyone named Dean or if he doesn't remember who he is. But the kid didn't. Instead, he tightened his arms around Sam's neck, burying his body closer to Sam's, trying to draw some comfort from its warmth. Head still hidden in the crook of Sam's neck, in a small and terrified voice he said, "'eres Alec?"

Immediately, Alec laid a hand on Dean's small back, rubbing slow circles in a soothing gesture. Then quietly he said, "M'here, Dean. I'm okay."

And then, like magic, Dean relaxed. Slowly, he raised his head and looked at his brothers with a small smile on his face. "Hey," he whispered.

Wiping the tears on his brother's face, Sam smiled as Alec said, "Welcome back, big brother."

Suddenly, Dean went stock still in Sam's lap, within Sam's arms. With wide eyes he looked at Sam, then he brought his hands towards his face, stared at it like he was seeing it for the first time. Then he touched his face, first his cheeks, his hair, his nose and lips and ears. Swallowing, he glanced at Alec, then at Sam, frightened and incredulous all at once. Releasing a breath, he opened his mouth and said, "Holy shit."

And then he was off. Dean began to spout curses of amazing variations, some of which both Alec and Sam had never heard of before. And if they had any doubts that this Dean wasn't their Dean, all those certainly flew right outta the window.

Still yelling angrily, Dean squirmed in Sam's lap, fists raised and flying everywhere. Sam had to evade the little hands, though he couldn't help the smile on his face as he ducked and avoided Dean's wild gestures. Alec wasn't so subtle though. Beside them, Alec sat on the same bed and began to laugh his head off. It didn't help any because Dean yelled more and squirmed more and flailed his arms around more. He even hit Sam's forehead a few times, and though tiny, boy do those fists hurt! Getting frustrated, Sam took Dean's arms and gently forced them to stay firmly at the child's side. Dean didn't approve, as proven by the small pout on his face. Sam almost couldn't take the level of adorable-ness his brother was displaying, though obviously unconsciously. He had to fight the extreme urge to cuddle the kid to death.

He had a feeling Dean wouldn't appreciate it.

"Dean," he said instead, trying to sound exasperate and firm, "Calm down, will you? Are you trying to take my head off?"

"Calm down? Calm down?" Dean yelled, high-pitched and loud, straight into Sam's still sore ear, "I am offended Sam! Look at me! Look at what she did to me! I-I... I'm friggin', I'm friggin' _tiny_! How can I calm down when I friggin' want to kill someone right now?"

Dean shouting would have normally been terrifying because there was always something about Dean that spoke of danger. But then _this_ Dean, _this_ Dean was tiny! He had small hands and small feet, big, big eyes set within a small, small face. Normally, Dean would have sent the nearest bystander running out of fear. This Dean, however, was friggin' adorable.

Sam _almost_ couldn't stop himself from ruffling Dean's head affecionately. Alec, though, was a completely different story.

In a flash, Alec had seized Dean from Sam's lap, carried him by the armpits and spun themselves in circles, all the while laughing hysterically as he cooed and teased and cooed at the boy glaring at him unhappily. Clearly not amused, Dean growled, "Alec, I am not amused."

Alec laughed Dean's warning off, "Oh yeah? What're you gonna do o' _big_ brother o'mine?"

Indignant, and knowing that he really can't do any damage with this body, Dean crossed his arms over his chest as he harrumphed and jutted his lower lips out in a cute little pout.

Alec, of course, couldn't resist cooing a, "Oh, aren't you the _cutest _little thing ever?"

Before Dean could say anything, no doubt something children like him shouldn't be saying till they're, oh say, in their sixties, Sam took mercy on his brother and took him from Alec's hands. Carefully placing him on top of the bed farthest the door, he gave a warning look at the still laughing Alec before settling beside his elder-little brother. Dean looked suspicious, wary of what Sam might do or say, but that was soon gone when he recognized the seriousness that had come over his younger brother's features. Big brother instincts taking over, he quieted and waited for Sam to speak. On the other bed, Alec too, recognized that look from Sam. So when he sat down, the room turned blissfully quiet once more.

"Look," Sam began, "Dean I know you're frustrated and angry," - "Murderous, more like," Alec muttered -, "And believe me, we're frustrated as well." - "Yeah, right," Dean grumbled -, "But right now? None of us can think straight. So how about we get some rest and go through this again in the morn-next morning?"

Sam, of course, was met with disdainful eyes. "I refuse to be babied."

Alec almost couldn't hide his snicker behind Sam. Sam ignored him, then frowned at Dean, "You can barely keep your eyes open, Dean! Your body isn't as it was, okay? You need to give it a rest. And the sooner you accept that you're stuck like that till we break the curse, the better it will be for all of us."

"Don't think I can get used to this, Sam."

"I'm not expecting you to," sighed Sam, "But you gotta give us a break, give yourself a break. Gotta learn to act like a kid again," - "Not that he needs help in that, Sam." - Dean threw himself at Alec, fists ready to fly. Sam barely managed to grab Dean as he shot out of the bed. "Dean! Come on! You too, Alec! Knock it off!"

Alec looked at Sam innocently, "I'm just telling the truth, Sam."

Sam narrowed his eyes at his younger brother and wondered why he was taunting more than usual. "Why are you taunting more than usual?"

Alec's brows raised at the same time that Dean's body stilled, still trapped within the arms of Sam. "Alec?" he whispered, voice still unable to hide the worry there, "You hurt?"

He looked at Dean, a small child in Sam's arms, staring at him with eyes older than his body should have, eyes that hasn't been able to build enough walls yet, enough that Alec could painfully see the concern sincerely reflected in them. Alec sighed, then ran his hands through his hair and shook his head, "No, Dean, m'not hurt," chuckling mirthlessly, he whispered, "More like, extremely worried."

Sometimes, Sam forgot that Alec was Dean, too. Dean, who covers everything with wit and humor and over the top sarcasm.

He should've been more vigilant. Sam swore to look out for him more.

"You don't have to look out for me more, Sam."

Sam raised a brow at Alec, then he shook his head and gave a small smile.

Alec stood up from the bed, walked towards them and sat near Sam who was still holding Dean on his lap. Alec smiled apologetically at Dean, then said, "Sorry, kiddo." That raised Dean's hackles again, but before he could say a word of protest, Alec stilled him by placing a hand on Dean's head and began ruffling his hair.

"I hate you," Dean muttered, eyelids beginning to get heavy just as Sam said. He yawned, then rubbed his eyes with the back of his small fists. Alec and Sam looked at each other, sharing an amused smile between them.

Alec took Dean from Sam and carried him as Sam pulled the covers up from the bed. Laying Dean down on the bed, surprised that no protest had spilled from the kid, he said, "I really am sorry, Dean."

Dean didn't say anything, just closed his eyes and gave a noncommittal sound. He shifted, so that he slept sideways, facing Alec. Then, lazily, he peeled an eye open, then he smirked and whispered, "You would've looked like me too, you know."

Alec laughed, as did Sam. "Yeah, we're both a bit narcissistic, aren't we?"

"We sure are," Dean breathed, voice muddled with sleep, "'s just right, too."

With a smile, Sam covered his brother with the blanket and said, "G'night, Dean."

**tbc**


End file.
